The National Board of Civic Platform has begun a conference deciding who from the party will stand in the presidential race.

At present there are two certain candidates for the presidency from the party: Bronislaw Komorowski, Parliamentary Speaker, and Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s head of diplomacy.

Civic Platform (PO) politicians have said that despite these two strong candidates, the Board will probably not finish its sitting this week.

The Christian-democratic liberal party, which has been in power since the general election in 2007, will decide on how to choose its presidential candidate, either through its regional structures or by direct polling by PO members.

Grzegorz Schetyna, head of the party’s parliamentary club, told journalists recently that Civic Platform wishes to hold an internal “election campaign”, with further ballots being held to determine new heads of the party at local and regional levels.

Last week Donald Tusk, head of the party, informed the press that he is in favour of choosing the PO candidate by way of an internal ballot amongst members.

Civic Platform politicians who are simultaneously members of the National Board have their own opinions on how their party should choose its presidential candidate.

Jaroslaw Gowin, a leading figure from the conservative arm of the party, believes that a general ballot should be held amongst all PO members, who would send an e-mail to party headquarters with their vote.

However, government spokesman Pawel Gras told journalists that the National Board will be finding a way to include as many members of Civic Platform as possible in its own presidential ballot. (jb)

Source: PAP